Chief
Ministers of Indian states
Roles and Responsibilities of the Chief Minister
According to the
Indian Constitution, the elected head of the Council of Ministers in an Indian
state is the Chief Minister. In reality, the Governor is guided by the Chief
Minister in the various powers that the Governor exercises, although as the
Constitution outlines, the Chief Minister is individually responsible to the
Governor.
Power and
Authority of Chief Minister
The powers and
functions of the Chief Minister are, in most respects, similar to those of the
Prime Minister at the Centre. The only difference lies in the jurisdiction over
which they exercise their powers.
The Chief Minister
who is also the leader of the ruling party chooses the members of his council
and allots portfolio is to them, presides over all meetings, can ask an erring
minister to resign; and is the prime spokesman of the government.
All major decisions
in the state are taken by the Chief Minister with the support of the Council of
Ministers. Since the Chief Minister is the real head of the state, the
development of the state, in terms of financial, technological, and human
development indices, rests solely on the powers of the Chief Minister, who must
be financially aided by the Centre, in terms of resources and materials.
·
The CM has a pivotal role in the financial
matters of a state, including the budget, basic infrastructural and
developmental priorities of the state, planning growth of the state and others.
·
Being the senior most member of the Cabinet
which is the executive branch of the state government, the Chief Minister is
invested with the power to dismiss any Cabinet member or Council of Ministers,
based on the performance of the Minister within the administrative capacities
of the state.
·
It is the Chief Minister who heads the Council of
Ministers in the State. Upon his recommendations the other Ministers are
appointed or removed by the Governor.
·
Of course, the Chief Minister cannot ignore some
important members in the party. He has to look to other considerations like the
representation of minorities, the younger age group and the representation of
Scheduled Castes in his Cabinet.
·
Sometimes in the appointment of Ministers, the
regional consideration is also given due consideration. The Ministers should be
selected from all regions of the State. In fact the Chief Minister is the
central to its (Council of Ministers) formation, central to its life and
central to its death.
·
When he resigns or dies the Council of Ministers
also automatically goes out of power. He distributes portfolios among the members
of the Council of Ministers. He presides over the meetings of the Cabinet. As
the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee, he decides what matters should be put up
before the Cabinet for discussion.
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·
He is the connecting link between his Council of
Ministers and the Governor. He is to communicate to the Governor the decisions
of the Ministers and any other information, regarding the State administration
which the Governor may call for. If the Governor so requires, the Chief
Minister may place before the Cabinet any matter where a decision has been
taken by a Minister without consulting his colleagues in the Cabinet.
·
The Chief Minister is the Chief spokesman of the
State Government. His utterances and assurances are deemed to be authoritative
and binding on the State Government. He also acts as the co-ordinator of
Governmental policy and resolves any departmental conflict.
·
In this capacity, he is authorised to supervise the
orders of any Minister and may repudiate any such order, if necessary. In
certain appointments like the Advocate-General and the members of the State
Public Service Commission, he exercises considerable influence.
·
The Chief Minister also functions as the leader of
the majority party in the State Legislature. In this capacity he has also great
influence over the business in the State Legislature.
·
As the leader of the majority party he is in a
position to get any legislation passed which is within the competence of the
State Legislature. He is authorised to advise the Governor to dissolve the
Legislative Assembly. The Governor being a constitutional ruler generally acts
upon the advice of the Chief Minister.
·
Thus the position of the Chief Minister in the
State administration is very significant in relation to his Cabinet colleagues;
He is more than a primus inter pares (First among equals).
·
The appointment and removal of the Cabinet
colleagues are actually made by him. In distributing portfolios his voice is
decisive. His resignation or death entails the resignation or death of the
Council of Ministers.
·
In relation to the State Legislature the Chief
Minister has considerable influence over the laws that are to be passed by the Legislature.
He may recommend the Governor to dissolve State, Legislature and order for a
fresh election, if it goes against him.
·
From all these constitutional provisions the Chief
Minister may appear quite powerful in State administration.
But in actual practice the position of the Chief Minister of a
State depends upon the following factors:
·
Firstly, the position of the Chief Minister depends
primarily upon his personality. If he is a person of integrity and has a
dominating personality then he can command great influence over State
administration. It is rightly maintained that the office is what “the holder
chooses to make it.”
·
Secondly, the position of the Chief Minister is
partly determined by his relationship with the Party in power in the Centre. If
a Chief Minister has much influence in the Centre he can make the position of
the State more influential in New Delhi, thereby enhancing his authority and
power in the State. As democracy is meant Government by parties, the Chief
Minister of a State should have to please his central party organization. If
the central organization of the party does not encourage him, his position in
the State would be precarious.
·
Thirdly, the position of the Chief Minister
considerably depends upon the support of the members of his party. If there are
a number of dissidents in the party, they make his position “a bed of thorns.”
As long as he enjoys the confidence of the State Legislature he is powerful.
Once that confidence is withdrawn, no longer he continues to be the Chief
Minister.
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